Coin channel plate



July 24, 1934.

G. A. LONG COIN CHANNEL PLATE Filed June 6, 1935 Patented July 24, 1934 I 1 ,967,993 oon; CHANNEL" PLATE George Long, Hartford; Conn.,=.assignor to The -GrayrTelephone-;Bay Station Company,:Hart- "ford conm -a corporation of Connecticut Application June 6, 1933 Serial No. 674,501 I H 2 Claims. (01. 194-97) My invention relates to the class of devices employed for directing the course of coins, tokens, or other similar evidences of payment along certain channels, particularly in connection with telephone pay stations, and an object of my invention, among others, is to equip such a device with means for preventing use of spurious devices to accomplish the purpose of legitimate coins, tokens or the like.

' One form of a channel plate embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a channel plate embodying my invention with the slug receiving receptable broken off to show construction.

Figure 2 is a View of a fragment of said plate looking at the opposite side from that shown in 7120 Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a View in section through a portion of said channel plate illustrating the operation of the device in connection with a legitimate coin or token.

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating the action of my improvement in connection with a spurious device in the place of a legitimate coin or token.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the spurious device just released from the snag.

In the use of machines of various types it is common practice to use certain devices, as small metal disks, for the operation of such machines, such devices being honestly used in some cases and in others for the purpose of defrauding. The extent of this use has become so great that one may readily procure such devices for such use as may be desired. A great number of these devices are formed with holes through the center the purpose for which need not be explained herein, and it has developed that these devices owing to the large quantity in common use are much employed at the present time in connection 445 with telephone pay stations for obtaining fraudulent use of the telephones, and this use has been so great that thosuands of dollars are annually lost by the telephone companies by such fraudulent practice.

It is the purpose of my present invention to prevent this fraudulent practice by providing means whereby the perforated devices will not only be prevented from sounding the signals, commonly employed in telephone pay stations,

but they will be retained within the instrument,

this being shown in the accompanying drawing in which the numeral 5 denotes the back plate of a coin channel structure in which the coin channels 6 are formed, and 7 denotes a center plate which is secured to the back plate usually as by means of screws and which forms the cover for I the channels in the back plate. Three channels are commonly employed, one to receive a five cent piece, another to receive a dime, and another to receive a quarter dollar, the coins being inserted usually in a coin plate 4 from which they pass into the mouths 8 of the channels and from which they are guided by the channels in devious paths to a common outlet 9 from which they drop into a coin receiver 10 from which they are delivered usually to a coin receptacle as a drawer, not herein shown.

In their passage along the channels the coins strike a signal or signals, as a bell or gong, one only, a bell 11, being shown herein. The channel for the quarter dollar is formed in a front plate, not herein shown, which is secured against the center plate 1 in a manner readily understood by those skilled in the art and a showing and description of which is not needed for a thorough understanding of the invention disclosed herein.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide a snag 12 in the form of a pointed pin projecting from one wall of the channel inwardly to- 5135 ward the opposite wall thereof. In the disclosure herein this snag is shown in connection with the channel for the nickel only, but it will be understood that a similar snag is provided for each of the channels, a cavity 13 being formed i) from a swelled part 14 in the back plate 5, and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. This snag and cavity are so relatively shaped that a coin, as a nickel 15, will enter the cavity 13 which enables it to pass the point of the snag andc thence downwardly along the channel 6 into the I receiver 10, and as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the coin plate is placed in an inclined position so that the coins or tokens slide along one wall, the nickel, however, pass-i ing over the point of the snag as hereinbefore described. If a spurious element or slug 16 of the nature hereinbefore described and with a hole 17 is employed, as is frequently done, the advancing edge of the slug point of the snag 12 and the latter will pass into the hole 17 as shown in Fig. 4, thereby arresting the movement of the slug and suspending it for an instant until the advancing edge swings through an opening 18, as shown in Fig. 4, cans-.

will pass up over thel05 1 v 'IO ing the slug to slide off from the snag and drop into a trap 19 in the form of a pocket secured to the front of the coin channel structure and as shown in Fig. 5.

From this it will be seen that when a legitimate coin or token is employed it will freely pass by the snag 12 and along the channel 6 and strike the bells o-r gongs or other signals to notify central oifice that the proper payment has been made for the use of the instrument. If, however, a slug or other spurious element of the character herein described is employed such element will be trapped by the snag out of the channel and will be retained within the structure so that it cannot be regained by one attempting to make fraudulent use of the instrument.

I claim:

1. A coin channel plate having a coin channel for directing the movements of coins, said channel plate being disposed at an inclination and including a back wall and a center plate spaced from the back wall, the back wall having a cavity therein, a snag projecting from the center plate towards the cavity, the center plate having an opening therein below the snag above the bottom wall of the channel and below the deepest part of the cavity whereby an apertured slug passing through the channel will have the aperture thereof received on the snag for teetering movement thereon to direct the slug through the opening in the center plate for removal from the channel.

2. A coin channel plate of the character set forth in claim 1, characterized by the conical formation of the snag to insure release of the apertured slug from the snag.

GEORGE A. LONG. 

